RoofRay Answers the 'Is it Really Worth it?' Question

Until we walk into our friendly neighborhood Ikea store and find their rumored solar panels, solar technology for our homes still seems like a distant future for most of us. To indulge yourself in your off-the-grid dreams, or to better educate yourself for the possibility of going solar, check out RoofRay.

RoofRay lets you determine the solar potential of your roof using Google Earth. Find your roof and highlight the surfaces of your roof to determine surface area where solar panels might be placed, facing what direction (South-facing is most efficient) and at what angle, and the site calculates how many watts you could expect to power from your panels.

On top of the wattage, RoofRay tells you how much it would cost to install panels for your roof and how many years it would take to get a return on your investment. It even takes into account government rebates and inflated energy prices in the future.

The site is great fun whether you're serious about investing in the energy or just daydreaming about it.